How diversity in Fire and Rescue will build a safer society | Bronnie Mackintosh | TEDxSydney

"We do more than just fight fires". In this engaging short talk, Firefighter Bronnie Mackintosh explains that a diverse Fire and Rescue workforce, one that truly reflects the society we live in, is vital for our safety. As she says, "we are more effective in public safety when we look, speak & think like you". Bronnie Mackintosh is a Winston Churchill Fellowship recipient. As a station officer with Fire and Rescue NSW, she travelled the world to research how international fire agencies are changing their workforces to be more reflective of the diverse communities they protect. Bronnie is currently seconded to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) to assist with diversity and inclusion programs for the fire and emergency services sector. She holds a Bachelor in Sport Science from the University of Technology and is currently studying for her MBA at Newcastle University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@gpmusic7888]

No, you don't need to force diversity into the fire force, you need people who can get the job done regardless of ethnicity or gender. It is a physically demanding job, and people who are unfit for it should just give at the police academy a shot.

[@falconeatsbabies]

You got that right dude

[@wegwerfacc4021]

@@falconeatsbabies they shouldn't go into the police academy either

[@josephs1752]

She was not insisting forced diversity at least from what I gathered, she actually mentioned we need to keep standards the same for the job. There is definitely a diversity issue from what I seen at some departments here in CA were nearly 100% of the firefighters are white males, despite there being a large pool of applicants from all ethnicities and backgrounds each round of hiring.

[@josephs1752]

@Cory Sartin I'm calling bs on your post. I see women on hotshot crews, hand crews, and engines on every large fire we go to here in CA. I've trained with women in our department and seen them outperform men. Also, they have advantages when it comes to confined rescue. Your mentality is what's wrong with some departments and the term "fire man" is used by no one actually working for a fire department, unless in the context of a condescending joke about pretending to be a firefighter.

[@jackjohnson6230]

@@josephs1752 I'm calling bs on your comment women do not out perform men physically stop being a simp

[@zglndle22]

Merritt is all that matters period

[@chriswoodley6533]

Cant believe that that made it to TED was almost like watching play school.And the 7% of the job that requires firefighting heavy lifting and guts and glory, how do the diverse workforce of women that aren't as strong ,muscular big as men cope? Not sure that we need to fix what isn't broke.

[@chriswoodley6533]

@@mmzddx96 don't need your sympathy Marjorie, but you've highlighted the intrinsic nature of women.Unable to take constructive criticism

[@invsink2896]

no one is stopping diversity .. the statistics of people in various work forces reflect on what society WANTS to do, so stop blaming men for the fact women don't want to take on such roles in life.

[@kpoptunja]

It's not about being a woman or man, it is about meeting the required profile in its entirety, I'm woman and I passed the test

[@mytwosenceop]

Range of skill sets without comprising required skil sets Yes 👍

[@GregoryCunningham]

"We do more than just fight fires."
As long as you can pass the physical requirements, more power to you. Women are excellent EMT's and Cal Fire uses Female and Male Prisoners to fight wild fires. Just don't make the mistake of forcing diversity onto a position where lives (are literally) at stake.

[@gpmusic7888]

@John Cocca I personally don't care if my colleges are female or not, but I care if they can get the job done.

[@shaemclean]

@John Cocca Im an SES worker and I cannot lift the ladder onto the roof of the truck just because I am not tall enough and I am aware that I am not as useful in that sense but there was a very small crawl space in an elderly mans home that was overcrowded with belongings. The team required me to jimmy myself up into the roof to see if there was a hole in the ceiling cavity somewhere and saved the team being expected to move furniture to attempt to get one of the men into that space; it was small enough that I couldnt carry my torch or anything in my pockets to get through gap. I had no issue with the exercises in the PAT by the way.

[@roswatson2804]

Quotas are wrong & should not be even discussed!

[@harry5611]

The whole “she was able to comfort the man” is kind of silly. And i find it hard to believe that this man couldnt fit in a car window. As a fireman, we learn ways to fit in small spaces... even a small basement window, or garage window will suffice... and in many cases it is possible to tunnel through the rear in order to stabilize the neck and rescue properly. A little disappointed if im being honest

[@chriswoodley6533]

she's got a barrow to push

[@roswatson2804]

A male teacher can not hug a distressed child- why the double standards? and No, women are capable of wrong to children.

[@earthone460]

If you pass the same test as the men can pass then yes please join the firefighting brigade. Otherwise no! You cant have quotas.

[@mattgrubowski9305]

Mans work

[@stonedprophet2463]

This is relevant. UCLA ring a bell anyone?

[@scottmitchell1974]

False! You need the best, regardless. Foolish!

[@eyecyou8525]

lol

[@fireguy744]

Thank You, very well stated. Hopefully it will be a message heard clearly and around the world.

[@terry-lu7qh]

She likes talking herself up. Go the white guys.

[@taxationistheft2.0]

😂😂😂😂 clown world

[@sestey]

Not aging that well

[@allwaysinquire6212]

I am a 40something in OK shape man but I could run rings around her even after she had done all the training! They just don't get it she is 40% less strong than me and much more emotional than me will take more time off,
Oh and when I was a firefighter I hugged a lot of crash victim. We did 70% medical call outs 30% fires we had 2 female crew one did medicals but no fires ( never went into a burning building) the other was in her 20s and was the same size as me she was ok but not up to the same fitness as the men so was deployed as such.

[@goldberg9260]

Women should not be in the fire service, full stop

[@brocktommo]

and why is that mate? they do just as good of a job as men